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2009 Prius XM radio and iPod questions

We just put down our deposit today for a 2009 Prius (Spectra Blue Mica) that we're supposed to pick up on Monday. We are having a LOT of trouble finding out anything about the best ways to integrate our iPod and our existing XM satellite radio (Roady XT) into the car. Toyota themselves are balking at doing the installation for us, but everything I've read on forums and blogs seems to say that if you don't have the satellite radio capability factory installed, you cannot also run an iPod in the car. I assume that means that the third party installation uses the auxiliary input jack that you'd normally use for the iPod.

Also, I'm having no luck finding out exactly _what_ the options package #3 and above "satellite capability" consists of. Is it a dock (so I can use my portable XM)? Is it a radio installed into the dash (so that I'd have to get another subscription)?

I'm willing to spend the extra money to get an options package #3 car (and wait for it), because when I tried to speak to Circuit City about installing an aftermarket satellite radio, what they told me was not very encouraging: it sounds like they're just attaching the dock to the vents, which I can do myself!

Is there any kind of aftermarket satellite system for the Prius that is properly _installed_, rather than just clipped to the vents or stuck to the dash with double-mount tape? Alternatively, what is the official Toyota factory-installed unit like?

My daughter has XM on a 2005

My daughter has XM on a 2005 (or maybe 2006) Prius and it is completely hidden behind the dash and is accessed through the "Mode" button on the steering wheel. It was installed by her Toyota dealer in Raleigh NC. You see the channel selection and song selection on the dash screen. (Screen also responds to touch selection.) There are a couple of internet sites www.factoryinteractive.com/PriusXM/ and www.coastaletech.com/xm_radio_in_prius.htm that advertise what seems to be in her car...

I am now looking for a new Prius (my 2004 is going to be "first car" for my granddaughter), and I have had the same problems figuring out exactly what "satellite capability" really is. I am planning to go the the dealer (in Jackson MS) tomorrow and see if we can figure this out! If you found the answer as applies to the 2009 already, please post it!
Thanks to all,
Eileen Gordy

My girlfriend has a 2009

My girlfriend has a 2009 Prius she/we just got...
It is a level/option 5.

It has an aux input in the center console for an ipod or any other audio device.

The sticker on the vehicle says it is xm ready - but I think the stereo and the navigation on the series 6 are the only ones with built in XM.
The owners manual states to hold the aux/sat button to get to the satallite code to transfer your xm account. On our vehicle it doesn't work.
I called XM who claims that we need to call Toyota.
I called customer service at Toyota who claims they were not sure.(could have just been the person I spoke with)

I called the dealership who claims to call XM/Sirius.
The service department and saleman at my location in NY were not sure of the process with older units.

They claim if you do not have an existing xm - you can purchase and have installed at the dealer a receiver and extra antenna and then your stereo will accept the satallite.possibly $450
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"Satellite ready" means the head unit is capable of controlling a satellite receiver and displaying info from the receiver. That's it. It doesn't include the receiver necessarily. That is what you will need

I just bought a 2009 Prius

I just bought a 2009 Prius with package 5/6 and I was totally misled by my salesman, his boss and the finance closer about my XM radio. I was told repeatedly that the car would have everything including XM radio and when I went to register the system per the Prius manual I found out I had to purchase the receiver module separately. My salesman gave me a song and dance about what he meant when he told me the car had XM radio. I have been waiting weeks for his boss to call me and explain what he really meant by the car will have everything including XM radio. We even purchased the extended warranty based on all the additional electronics with the finance guy because it would cover the XM radio.

Additionally, the garage door opener won't work and the Toyota service guy basically gave us a you’re out of luck story. Most of the addresses I have tried to input into the navigation system aren't accepted but I carry my Garmin around to find a close intersection, which has been accepted. Of the dozens of Toyotas we and our families have had over the years, this one is terribly disappointing.

I sent in my new car survey to Toyota with these comments and I have not heard a peep.

Hi,
We are a group of

Hi,
We are a group of students from Imperial College in London and as part of our MSc in Environmental Technology, we are studying the comparative influence of several groups of parameters on car-buyers' behaviour. We would be very pleased to collect answers from car owners and especially hybrid cars owners in order to draw relevant conclusions from our statistical analysis.
By filling in this survey, you will enable us to collect valuable data for our research. Of course all these data will remain strictly confidential and anonymous, and will not be diffused to anyone outside the academic staff at Imperial College.
here is the link to our questionnaire, it should not take you more than 4-5 minutes to fill it in:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...YBq85DYA_3d_3d
Thank you very much for your time.

I just spoke to Toyota

I just spoke to Toyota service about accessing the "built in" XM on my Prius touring with package 6. It will work thru the steering wheel controls & the on-screen audio - you have to pay to have the XM receiver installed...I'm going to shop around for the best price. Looks like $300-400 for the receiver & installation, plus the subscription costs. (ouch)

The iPod kit is also an add-on, but you can use a standard 1/8 inch stereo patch cable (about $4 from Radio Shack) to connect any mp3 player to the audio system. It won't work thru the built-in controls - you just get the audio thru your car speakers.

BTW-I'm having no luck with the garage door opener either - I have a LiftMaster garage door opener. We're going to try following the manufacturer's "add a remote" directions today - it will require 2 people to set it up - one in the car & one on a ladder in the garage.

GPS bites but can be fooled

Eric,
My husband and I could

Eric,

My husband and I could not get the garage door opener on our 2009 Prius (5 package) to work, but we happened to have a garage door repairman out and my husband asked him about getting the Prius opener to work. He figured it out (we have a 15-year-old garage door), so now we can open the garage door using the Prius controls. So you might try that route. I think the Prius is a devil to figure out. The computer in the car is way way too complicated. Like you, I've been frustrated with the navigation system. We have figured it out, but our old Garmin is much better. And I haven't yet figured out how to use the audio system with my iPod. (That's why I'm looking on this site.)

I have a 2009 Toyota Prius

I have a 2009 Toyota Prius and so far everything works fine. The navigation is interesting as on most routings it gives you two or three choices, but it does find the destination every time. The garage door opener directions provided by Toyota will not work. You need to go to the Homelink website since that's the guts of this garage door opener. Very quick and easy to set up with their directions. I've helped several friends in the neighborhood setup their in car garage door openers. One friend across the street has had a Honda for three and half years and never got it to work, but the Homelink directions made it easy. Love the bluetooth hands-free with my iPhone. On to my next Prius project, installing an XM radio receiver.